The Region

A Latino police officer in Glendale charged his department with discrimination against minorities and women and asked a federal judge to promote him to sergeant. Ricardo Luis Jauregui, 36, a 12-year veteran of the force, filed a federal court suit asking for back pay at a sergeant's level and an order to force the Glendale Police Department to stop discriminating in promotions. Police Chief David Thompson declined comment on the suit. Jauregui's attorney, David Alkire, said there are no minorities or women above the rank of patrol officer in Glendale, and just nine Latinos, four blacks and four women among the 180 sworn police officers. He said Jauregui has been "at or near the top" of the promotion list for sergeant for the last five years, but has never been chosen.